<p>We often wear our exhaustion like a badge of honor. In a culture that glorifies the “grind,” admitting you are tired can feel like a weakness. But what happens when that tiredness goes beyond needing a nap and becomes a complete systemic shutdown?</p><p>In this episode of <em>Flip Your Mindset</em>, I sat down with Deidre Gestrin, a licensed mental health professional and founder of Abundant Wellness Essentials. Deidre isn’t just an expert on paper; she has navigated three severe episodes of burnout herself. Her experience led her to a crucial realization: to truly heal, you must treat the mind and body as one.</p><p>If you have ever felt like your capacity to handle life has suddenly vanished, or if you are a high achiever running on fumes, this conversation is for you.</p><p><strong>Recommended Resource:</strong> If you are tired of coping strategies that don’t last, check out this <a target="_blank" href="https://www.flipyourmindset.com/masterclass"><strong>free 15-minute masterclass</strong></a>. It breaks down the biology of anxiety and teaches you a somatic tool to reset your nervous system immediately.</p><p></p><p>Redefining the Crash: Burnout vs. Breakdown</p><p>We tend to think of burnout as simply needing a vacation. However, Deidre defines it as functioning in a state of chronic stress for so long that you begin to question what you are doing and feel a sense of detachment or depersonalization.</p><p>I often refer to my own experiences with burnout as “nervous breakdowns”. While that term might sound intense, it is accurate from a nervous system perspective. When we stay in a hyper-vigilant, “fight or flight” state for too long, our system eventually decides it can no longer outrun the threat. It shuts down. This is often why, during extreme burnout, you might not feel sad, you might just feel nothing at all, a state known as dorsal vagal shutdown.</p><p>Deidre agrees that these experiences exist on a continuum. When chronic stress keeps your nervous system activated without relief, your body eventually stops functioning correctly.</p><p>The Physical Cost of Ignoring the Signs</p><p>One of the most powerful takeaways from this episode is that burnout is never just “in your head.” It manifests physically.</p><p>* <strong>Deidre’s Experience:</strong> Before her crash, she developed arthritis in her mid-30s. By the end, she physically hit a wall where she couldn’t walk 100 feet or stand for more than a few minutes without pain.</p><p>* <strong>My Experience:</strong> Similarly, I was diagnosed with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis in my 40s.</p><p>We both realized that these physical ailments were manifestations of deep inflammation caused by unprocessed emotions and chronic stress. As Deidre points out, you cannot separate the mind from the body. If you are ignoring your emotional health, your physical health will eventually force you to pay attention.</p><p>Why Do We Do This to Ourselves?</p><p>If burnout is so painful, why do we drive ourselves toward it? We discussed the “engine” beneath the hustle. Often, high achievers are driven by core beliefs formed in childhood, such as:</p><p>* “I have to say yes to feel valued.”</p><p>* “If I set boundaries, people will leave me.”</p><p>* “I am responsible for everyone else’s happiness.”</p><p>For many of us, high achievement is actually a pursuit of safety or validation. We might dissociate or “freeze” to cope with stress, effectively disconnecting from our own bodies. This makes it easy to ignore the warning signs until it is too late.</p><p>How to Start Healing (Keep It Simple)</p><p>If you feel like you are on the edge of a cliff, the solution isn’t a complicated, elaborate plan. In fact, Deidre emphasizes that your nervous system needs <strong>simple</strong> and <strong>doable</strong> strategies.</p><p>Here are three steps to start preventing or recovering from burnout:</p><p>* <strong>Reconnect with Your Body:</strong> You cannot heal what you cannot feel. Start paying attention to subtle changes in your body and listen to them. If you are anxious, where do you feel it?</p><p>* <strong>Protect Your Sleep:</strong> This is a non-negotiable. Sleep is often the first thing we sacrifice, but it is essential for recovery.</p><p>* <strong>Set Boundaries:</strong> You have to decide what is most important. Prioritize your tasks and recognize that you cannot do it all.</p><p>A Special Offer for Listeners</p><p>Healing requires us to look at the root causes of our stress, not just the symptoms. If you are ready to find a path forward, Deidre is offering a <strong>free 30-minute consultation</strong> for our listeners to help you identify where to start.</p><p>You can book your consultation at <a target="_blank" href="https://abundantwellnessessentials.com/">https://abundantwellnessessentials.com</a></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. 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